Emergency skid chain snake



L. w. KEPPEL. 34,902

EMERGENCY SKID 01mm. 52mm Filed May 11, 1939 m the wheel as is necessary to utented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY SKID CHAIN SNAKE Louis W. Koppel, Bayonne, N. 1. Application May 11, 1939, Serial No. 213,098

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a snake or device for use in applying emergency skid chains to auto mobile wheels and tires.

lit the present time, the mudguards or fenders of automobiles practically completely cover the top and side of the tire and render it difllcult to apply skid chains to the wheels, and especially to apply them without soiling the person and clothing, since the hand must be placed behind insert the strap of the skid chain between the spokes or through the slots in the wheel disk.

The present invention provides a novel construction or snake to attain the end desired with facility, without soiling of the hands or clothing, a construction which is simple, durable and inexpensive, and a construction which may be compactly disposed within a kit or elsewhere when not in use. i

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description Iollowingtaken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing the device connected to an emergency skid chain or the equivalent;

Figure 2 is a top or plan view or the parts of Figure 1:

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of one form of chain or strap-engaging clamp;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of portions of the device:

Figure 5 is a. perspective view of one section or the device;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the use of a modified form of clamp, and

Figure 'l is a longitudinal sectional view showing a still further form of my modified clamp. I

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the snake is generally designated A and preferably consists of two sections Ill and II, each preferably of flexible metal and adapted for adjustment relatively to each other, so as to conform to the various sizes of tires now in use. To this end, the section Ill preferably has a series of slots l2 therethrough and section II preferably has a terminal T-shaped lug l3, adapted to be entered in the slot l2 and then turned 90. Head l3 may be placed in any oi the slots I2 according to the size or adjustment desired. In addition, an endless clamping loop.

or band ll surrounds and is slidable along the sections it and ii and engageable against a hump or deflection IE on section it, to provide better binding and clamping action and such part l5 prevents accidental detachment of the band H, in addition.

At one end, section II has an arcuate curlor enlargement l6 which will prevent passage of that end of the snake between the spokes or openings in the disk of a wheel. The enlargement i8 is practically a circle and its free end 10 is returned toward and terminates short of the section II and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot H. A T-shaped lug or projection i8 is struck out from the enlargementjli or otherwise provided thereon.

The free end or the section ill has a T-shaped lug or head l9 thereon and also has an endless band slidable along the section in the rear of the head l9. Lug or head i9 and band 20 are used to removably secur'a clamp in place, which 20 in turn is engaged with an emergency antiskid chain, strap or the equivalent. One form of such clamp is shown in Figures 1 to 3. This clamp is generally designated 2| and it has a pair of jaws 22 of suitable metal. Such jaws have aligned slots 23. which are applicable over the lug or' head l9 and following which the plates are turned 90. The anti-skid chain, strap or the equivalent is suggested at 24 and it is gripped between the other portions of the plates or jaws 22 and penetrated by spurs 25 struck out from one or both of such jaws and extending longitudinally, so as not to cross or sever the threads, when element 24 is a strap. Jaws 22 may be clamped onto the element 24 through the movement of a slide 26, which moves in elongated slots 21 in the jaws, at inclined portions 28 or the latter, such slidev having heads 29 at top and bottom, whereby they will engage the portions 28 somewhat like a cam and force the jaws into tight gripping engagement with the element 24.

The said jaw 22 may have registering slots as at 30, adapted to engage the lug I8, when the device is not in use, so as to hold the samev in compact condition to occupy minimum space in a chest, or any other location. Also, with clamp 2i removed, the lug or head l9 may be engaged in the slot 11 to hold sections I0 and H in compact form. It will be realized that when the snake is positioned arounda tire, the jaw 2| may engage the anti-skid device 24, Iollowing which element i6 is engaged as a handle and drawn toward the operator, thereby moving the anti-skid device 24 chain is designated 24" into position for fastening, following which it is released at the Jaw or clamp 2| through sliding oi the member 26.

It will be realized that various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, in Figure 6, I disclose a modified form of clamp or coupling 3|, which may form a permanent part oi the anti-skid device or chain here designated 24'.

Such coupling 3| is made from a single strap of metal and bent upon itseli. and having Jaws at 32, engaging opposite sides 01 the anti-skid device and fastened thereto as by means 01' rivets 33, or by driving the spurs or barbs into the chain strap by closing the clamp or coupling in a vise or by blows of a hammer. In addition. a star or other indicia 34 may be provided on one of the parts 32, to indicate the outer surface or any particular surface of the anti-skid device, as an aid in correctly applying and positioning it. The portion of the coupling 3| beyond the anti-skid device, is provided with an elongated slot as at 35 engageable by the head or lug I 9 The aforesaid coupling 3| may be modified as shown in Figure 7. Here the anti-skid device or and the coupling 3| is of U-shape and does not extend beyond the antiskid device. The lower flange of the coupling-is slotted as at 36 and the anti-skid device is cutaway in line therewith as at 31, so as to receive the head or lug Hi. In this form the strap 24" is secured to the coupling by means of spurs 38 struck out 01' the coupling.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising a section having an enlargement at one end curled and having its free end returned toward and terminating short 01' the section, said free end being provided with a slot, 0. head at the other end oi the section, a second section having a head engageable in said slot, said second section having slots engageable by said first mentioned head, said last mentioned head being disengageable from the first mentioned slot. and a clamp detachably connected to an end or ananti-skid device, at one end thereof, and having means for detachably engaging said last mentioned head to connect the device to one end of the anti-skid device.

2. A device oi the class described comprising a section having an enlargement at one end curled and having its free end returned toward and terminating short of the section, said free end being provided with a slot, a head at the other end 01 the section, a second section having a head engageable in said slot, said second section having slots engageable by said first mentioned head, and means on the second section tor detachable connection of an anti-skid device thereto, said means being engageable with the last mentioned head, when the last mentioned head is detached 'irom the first mentioned slot.

3. A device of the class described comprising a section having an enlargement at one end curled and having its free end returned toward and terminating short of the section, said free end being provided with a slot, a head at the other end 01 the section, a second section having a head engageable in said slot, said second section having slots engageable by said first mentioned head, means engageable with the second mentioned head for detachable connection of an anti-skid device thereto, said means comprising slidable clamp, surrounding said jaws.

LOUIS W.- KEPPEL.

jaws and a 

